SEOUL, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said Tuesday that South Korea’s hosting of a trilateral summit with Japan and China paved the way for enhancing practical cooperation between the neighbors.

Han made the remark after President Yoon Suk Yeol held meetings with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Seoul between Sunday and Monday, the first trilateral session since December 2019.

“The summit marks a turning point in fully restoring and normalizing the trilateral cooperation framework in the post-COVID-19 era,” Han said during a Cabinet meeting at the government complex in Sejong, 113 kilometers south of Seoul.

Han also emphasized the importance of the inaugural Korea-Africa Summit scheduled for next week.

The Korea-Africa Summit is expected to draw delegations from over 45 countries on June 4 and 5, making it the largest multilateral summit since the Yoon Suk Yeol administration took office in May 2022.

“The summit is important as it aims to secure new growth engines for ou
r economy by establishing a strategic partnership with Africa, which is rich in population and resources,” Han said.

During the meeting, Han condemned North Korea’s failed attempt to launch a new military spy satellite as a violation of the U.N. Security Council resolutions that ban its use of ballistic missile technology. He vowed a stern response in coordination with the international community.

North Korea said Tuesday its latest satellite launch attempt failed due to the midair explosion of the rocket during the first-stage flight.

Source: Yonhap News Agency